Loom for the automatic weaving of broad fabrics with more than one shuttle



Nov. 30, 1965 H. M. ANTZ ETAL 3,220,442

LOOM FOR THE AUTOMATIC WEAVING OF BROAD FABRICS Filed Oct. 30, 1961 WITH MORE THAN ONE SHUTTLE 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 30, 1965 H. M. ANTZ ETAL 3,220,442

LOOM FOR THE AUTOMATIC WEAVING OF BROAD FABRICS WITH MORE THAN ONE SHUTTLE Filed Oct. 50, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheetv 2 Nov. 30, 1965 H. M. ANTZ ETAL 3,220,442

LOOM FOR THE AUTOMATIC WEAVING OF BROAD FABRICS WITH MORE THAN ONE SHUTTLE Filed Oct. 30, 1961 I 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 30, 1965 H. M. ANTZ ETAL 3,220,442

LOOM FOR THE AUTOMATIC WEAVING OF BROAD FABRICS WITH MORE THAN ONE SHUTTLE Filed Oct. 30, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 1965 H. M. ANTZ ETAL LOOM FOR THE AUTOMATIC WEAVING OF BROAD FABRICS WITH MORE THAN ONE SHUTTLE Filed Oct. 30, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 L/UL T4 55 VDL $405 5% PATTff/V CH/l/A/ )6 COLUMN .5? #5 52 $5 jlyure 5 J W W 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 OAD FABRICS M I 00 WT. 5 I 3 M H. M. ANTZ ETAL LOOM FOR THE AUTOMATIC WEAVING OF BR WITH MORE THAN ONE SHUTTLE Nov. 30, 1965 Filed Oct. 30. 1961 k4 TERW c/M/A/ coL l/M/v Nov. 30, 1965 H. M. ANTZ ETAL 3,220,442

AUTOMATIC WEA LOOM FOR THE G OF BROAD FABRICS WITH MORE THAN 0 SHUTTLE Filed 001,. 30, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR5 H ANS M. A NTZ GERHARD HOFMANN OTTO MEYER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,220,442 LOQM FQR THE AUTOMATIC WEAVING 0F BROAD FABRICS WITH MORE THAN ONE SHUTTLE Hans M. Antz, Buchtallee 1, Rcinbek, Germany; Gerhard Hofmann, Am Baum 37, Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany; and Otto Meyer, Johann Meyerstr. 37, Hamburg- Lohbrugge, Germany Filed Oct. 30, 1961, Ser. N 148,367 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 10, 1960, B 60,042 1 Claim. (Cl. 139-234) The present invention relates to a loom for the automatic weaving of broad fabrics with more than one shuttle. The manufacture of broad fabrics, particularly of tubular fabrics, with more than one shuttle is carried out according to the prior art on nonautomatic looms, equipped with a mechanical drop box shuttle change motion. In the manufacture of felts and other fabrics for the paper industry and related industries, every irregularity in the fabric results in faulty end product and therefore it is desirable to prevent the crossing of weft threads laid by different shuttles in a continuous endless spiral through the entire length of the fabric.

The automatic weaving of fabrics of this kind with mare than one shuttle has so far not been fully successful because a crossing of the continuous weft threads of different shuttles occurred when the empty shuttle was taken out or when the new full shuttle was brought into operation. Besides, the known automatic shuttle-change motions operate with mechanical means for the initiating of the shuttle change and for the control of the various automatic devices. Mechanical means are, however, not sufficient for looms of great width as used for the manufacture of felts, since the necessary transmission parts, such as rods and pipes, are subject to great deformations.

Many attempts have been made to use automatic bobbin changers for the automatic weaving of tubular fabrics. Devices of this kind, however, are not suited for the manufacture of felts for paper machines or other fabrics which must be woven in very great widths and with relatively coarse weft yarns. The size of the bobbins is limited, and small bobbin sizes and coarse yarns are the cause of exhaustion of the weft yarn carried by the bobbin after a few picks since a small bobbin does not hold a great length of a coarse thread. Thus the bobbin-change motion would have to be operated too often, resulting in operational difficulties. Further, owing to the little capacity of the small weft pirns, the loss of weft yarn would be too high in a relation to the amount of used weft yarn, since there must be, independent of the bobbin of cop size, a certain yarn reserve the length of which is dependent of the weaving width only. A crossing of the weft threads could only be avoided by fitting a bobbin changer to each slay end, a measure that would make the loom rather complicated.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a loom of simple construction in which no interlacing or crossing of the weft takes place.

Another object is to provide a loom on which tubular fabrics of great width can be automatically woven.

Another object of the invention is to control the shuttle change in a loom by photoelectric sensing means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric control circuit for a loom.

The characteristic feature of the present invention, as embodied in a device for fully automatic weaving of broad fabrics with more than one shuttle, is to initiate the shuttle change by electric, photoelectric or opticelectronic sensing means, and to control all automatic parts during the shuttle-change operation by electromagnetic means. In accordance with the invention, a multitiple-cell shuttle box at the magazine end of the loom has one special shuttle discharge cell and one feeding cell. After the actuation of a weft-feeler motion by photoelectric or optic-electronic means for the purpose of ejecting the empty shuttle and picking the new full shuttle, the shuttle change is made by means of electromagnets connected into circuits together with one or more relays, or contactors and switches. One relay or contactor is closed when the respective operation is initiated, whereas other switches, preferably controlled by cams on a crank shaft and from the change-motion card, are closed in turn in order to determine, by closing the respective circuit, the precise moment of the response of the respective electromagnet.

In looms working with weft yarns of more than one color or type, a new full shuttle in the magazine is selected during the initiation of the shuttle-change process or between the actuation of the weft-feeler motion and the introduction of the new shuttle into the loom. This operation is preferably controlled by the pattern chains of the loom and transmitted to electromagnetic means in the magazine. In order to eject the empty shuttle, the special discharge cell is placed, at the right moment, at the level of the shuttle raceway of the slay, but before this is done, shuttle change initiator levers are operated preferably by one or more electromagnets to determine the working cycle of the loom during which the shuttle-change initiator levers must be operated, for instance by closing one or more terminal switches controlled by the pattern chains, whereas the duration of the operation of the shuttle-change initiator levers in the respective working cycle is determined, for instance, by one or more cams on the crankshaft of the loom. The cams act on switches provided in the control circuit to the electromagnets operating the shuttle-change initiator levers, while at the same time the shuttle-change control by the mechanical shuttle-change is rendered ineffective.

The weft-feeler motion may have one or more sensing means. The respective sensing means is energized in the working cycles in which sensing must take place by closing one or more switches which are controlled by the pattern chain.

In order to avoid weft crossings when working with more than two shuttles, it may become necessary to provide the shuttle box at the magazine end of the loom with more than one special shuttle-discharge cell and/ or more than one special shuttle-feeding cell.

The special shuttle-feeding cells have sensing switches which are operated if a shuttle is in the respective cell and controlled by a flap of this cell. In order to avoid that, after initiation of a shuttle-change a further shuttlechange is initiated, one or more switches are acutated by the shuttle dropped from the magazine, to break the respective circuit.

It may become necessary to mount shuttle magazine and multiple cell shuttle boxes with special discharge and feeding cells at both ends of the loom.

In the drawings which serve to illustrate the invention in several construction forms:

FIG. 1 is a front view of one side frame of the loom with part of the slay and some parts of the automatic shuttle-change motion;

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1, particularly showing the loom side frame with the slay and some parts of the automatic shuttle-change in motion;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the other side frame of the loom, with the dobby, mechanical shuttle-change motion;' and some parts for automatic operation of the loom;

FIG. 4 is the side view of FIG. 3, particularly showing 3 the side frame of the loom, dobby side, further details of the dobby, the mechanical shuttle-change motion, and some parts for automatic operation of the loom;

FIG. 5 is the circuit diagram of a loom for automatically weaving tubular fabrics wit-h two shuttles in a fourpick sequence;

FIG. 6 is the pattern chain diagram of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is the shuttle-course diagram of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is the circuit diagram of a loom for cyclical automatic weaving with three shuttles;

FIG. 9 is the change-card diagram to FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is the shuttle-course diagram to FIG. 8; and

FIG. ll is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a part of the loom provided with the apparatus of the invention.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the base plate 1 on the right side, where the drive means are located, supports the loom side frame 2. The slay sword 3 carries the slay 4 with the slay head 5 in which slides the drop box 6. The bottom cell of the drop box is designed as the so-called discharge cell 6a where the shuttle enters after the last pick when its thread supply is exhausted. The shuttle is discharged from there when the shuttle box moves downward. The top cell 6b of the drop box serves to receive a new shuttle.

Above or behind the slay 4, the frame 7 on the side frame 2 carries the shuttle magazine 8, reinforced by the stay 9. The clip 11 on the rod 10 serves to hold the thread ends of the shuttles 12 put into the magazine.

The shuttle box flap of the top cell 6b of the drop box 6 has a projection 13 acting on a limit switch 14 to close this switch as soon as there is a shuttle in the top cell. Switch 14 introduces a shuttle change by causing movement of the drop box to the right of the shuttle race, as will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 8. A limit switch 15 below the magazine 8 is actuated when a shuttle 12 is selected in the magazine 8 and correspondingly positioned but not yet brought into the top cell of the drop box 6.

Switches 14 and 15 are conventional limit switches. Switch 14 is operated by the flap or binder of the first cell on the right side of the loom and is always closed when a shuttle is located in the respective cell. Closing of switch 14 is necessary for the initiation of the shuttlechange which requires the placing of the first cell on the right side of the loom at the level of the shuttle race on the slay for a pick which introduces the new, changed shuttle in the special feeding cell into the shuttle work ing cycle.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 8, switch 15 has two pairs of contacts which can be connected, respectively, by shifting a movable contact in an upward or downward direction. When switch 15 is actuated by movement in upward direction, the photoelectric sensing means 23 and 49 is connected to voltage and ready for the sensing operation required during a shuttle change. When a shuttle drops from the magazine, it actuates switch 15 in downward direction so that the photoelectric sensing means 23, 49 is disconnected whereby feeding of another undesired shuttle is prevented. When switch 15 connects the lower contacts shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the circuit for the electromagnet 35 is prepared, and such circuit is completed when switch 55 is closed by the pattern chain mechanism in the shuttle-change operation.

A new thread-carrying shuttle 12 is inserted into the rearwardly located open top cell 6b of the right hand drop box 6 by means of a feeding member 62 which is operated by means, not shown, from the crank shaft of the loom, to cause the new shuttle to slide along a chute into the top cell 6b. When the new shuttle 12 is located in the top cell 6b in the proper position to be picked, the locking device 63 is actuated to prevent the sliding back of the shuttle 12 after retraction of member 62. This arrangement is known, and not an object of the present invention.

Above the shuttle magazine 8, two electromagnets 18 and 19 are disposed which are connected by two draw wires 20 and two angular levers 21 with two slides 22, 22' which prevent the lowest shuttles in the magazine 8 from dropping. For the control of the automatic operation, several cams, see FIGS. 5 and 8, are provided on the crank shaft 45, only one of the cams 46 being shown in FIG. 2 which actuates the terminal switch 47 fitted to the back bottom binder 48 of the loom. In the same manner, further cams 52, 56 and 59, see FIG. 5 and FIG. 8, are secured to the crank shaft, and actuate other terminal switches 53, 57 and 58.

Cams 46, 52, 56 and 59 which respectively actuate limit switches 47, 53, 57 and 58, are superimposed in FIG. 2, so that only cam 46 and limit switch 47 are visible.

The slay (see FIG. 1) carries a photoelectric Weft feeler 23, swinging with the slay and working optically and electronically, emitting in well-known manner a beam of light and receiving an impulse from a reflector in the shuttle 12 which is uncovered as soon as the weft thread in the shuttle is almost exhausted.

As shown in FIGS. 3, and 4, the base plate 24 is provided at the dobby end of the loom with the side frame 25. The dobby 26 is controlled by an iron pattern chain 27 moving on a prismatic body 28 secured to a shaft 29 carrying a further prismatic body 31, controlling by means of the pattern chain 88, the shuttle-change motion.

Between the main wall on the dobby side of the loom and a wall 30, a mechanical shuttle-change device is located. This device is of a conventional nature and well known to those skilled in the art. The loom to which the present invention is applied is a so-called Crompton loom provided with a Knowles shuttle-change device. The crankshaft 45 drives the shed-forming draw knives 64 and 65 through the crankwheel 66 and connecting rod means 67, 67a, 67b. Draw knife 64 forms the upper shed, and draw knife 65 the lower shed. The draw knives 64, 65 are guided in guide grooves 68, 69 of two walls 70 of which only the rear wall is shown in FIG. 4.

Lifting jacks 17 are turnably mounted at 72, and are pivotally connected with plate 74. Every plate has two hooks 75, a. Corresponding to the program represented by a roller of the pattern chain 27, plate 74 is either raised or lowered, for engaging member 64 or member 65. Draw wires 77 are articulated to points 76, 76a of lifting jack 71 to control shafts, not shown.

Pattern chain 27 runs over prismatic body 28 which is shifted by hook 78. Prismatic body 28 is locked by a locking device 79 in shifted positions. This locking device 79 has a spring-loaded catch lever acting upon the body 28, thus arresting the turnable body 28 between each separate angular advance movement.

Prismatic body 31 has the same cross-section, but is of a shorter axial length than prismatic body 28. A second, corresponding narrower patern chain 80 runs over member 31, and operates members 38, 39 by which the mechanical shuttle control device is controlled through draw wires.

The pattern-chain body 31 for the control of the shuttlechange motion is mounted on the extended dobby cylinder 28 and carries the pattern chain 80 which consists of rollers of greater diameter and intermediate bushings of smaller diameter, mounted on rods connected by suitable joints.

As can be seen from the pattern chain diagram FIGS. 6 and 9, the pattern chain columns 1-3 serve for the control of the normal shuttle course, that is to say as long as no automatic change of the exhausted shuttle takes place. These three columns 1-3 of the pattern chain are adapted to actuate the upper change-initiator levers 38 and 39 for the shuttle box on the side where the automatic apparatus is disposed.

If in the first column a bushing is located under the first upper change-initiator lever 38 and if in the second column a roller is located under the second upper changeinitiator lever 39, then lever 38 will remain in the lower position, whereas lever 39 will be raised. These movements are transmitted to the bottom change-initiator levers 43 and 44, respectively, by the draw wires 38 and 39, respectively, whereby the mechanical shuttle change for placing the second cell of the shuttle-box 6 on the shuttle race-level is initiated on the automatic side of the loom, see also FIG. 11.

In the same manner the automatic shuttle-change for the third cell of the shuttle box 6 on the automatic side is initiated if in the first pattern chain column a roller, and in the second column a bushing, are respectively located under the upper change-initiator levers 38 and 39.

The rollers and spacing bushings of the pattern chain 80, see also FIG. 11, must first be mounted in such a manner that the desired shuttle course is obtained, for example as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9. It will be understood that the first cell of the shuttle .box 617 on the automatic side would be placed at the shuttle race level if in the first and second pattern chain column two spacing bushings would cooperate with the upper shuttle-change-initiator levers 38 and 39. In contrast, the fourth cell of the shuttle box 6a on the automatic side would be accurately placed at the level of the shuttle race if in the first and second column two rollers will actuate the upper changeinitiator levers 38 and 39 respectively.

However, the first and fourth cells 6a and 6b of the shuttle box on the automatic side are designed as special shuttle feeding and discharge cells, and the above described box positions will not occur during the normal shuttle course, during which no automatic change of an exhausted shuttle takes place.

Each body 28 and 31 has the form of a hexagonal prism with concave surfaces in contact with the control rollers, but the outermost surfaces extend along a cylinder surface. Shaft 29 also carries the ratchet wheel 78a, operated by the pawl 78 at every working cycle of the loom, and driving the pattern chain 27 and the change-motion chain 80.

The chain 80 for the control of the mechanical shuttlechange motion controls both shuttle-boxes only during normal weaving operation when no automatic shuttlechange takes place,

Besides the rollers for controlling the two drop boxes of the loom, the pattern chain 80 has, according to the invention, rollers which actuate levers 33 controlling terminal switch 34 (see FIGS. 3, 5, and 11) mounted on a rod 17 supported on the rear part of the dobby below levers 33 Several control rollers are provided adjacent each other on the pattern chain 27, so that each control rollers can act on a lever 33. Levers 33 are superimposed in FIG. 3.

Above the pattern chain 80 an electromagnet 35 is provided which can lift, by means of an articulated lever system including the rod 36, and the cross rod 37 at the lower end of the rod 36, the two upper shuttle-change control levers 38, 39 for the right-hand drop box so that two picks later the right-hand drop box is raised in such a manner that the lowest box is placed at the shuttle race level for the discharge of a shuttle. A further electromagnet 40 is located above the mechanical shuttle-change mechanism for lifting, by means of a lever system including the rod 41 and cross rod 42, the two lower shuttlechange control levers 43, 44 for the right-hand drop box.

Parts 35 to 44 are required to bring about the two exceptional positions of the drop box 6 for the discharge of an empty shuttle and for the introduction of a full shuttle into the working cycle of the loom. These proceedings are initiated by the actuation of the weft feeler 23 when yarn is exhausted in one of the shuttles. The shuttlechange motion chain 80 becomes ineifective after the actuation of the weft feeler 23, and the control of the mechanical shuttle-change motion to effect the two exceptional positions of the drop box 6 is initiated by the two electromagnets 35 and 40. In this manner, a particular automatic shuttle-change operation is started, while during normal operations, the shuttle-change is controlled by the pattern chain 27. As mentioned above, the Knowles shuttle-change device is located behind wall 30. Two drums rotating in opposite direction, and having teeth about half the periphery thereof, are mounted between Wall 25 and wall 30. The drums are driven from crank shaft 45 through intermediate gears 81a at the ratio 1:1. Between drum 82 and 83, gears 84 are located which are respectively mounted on pivoted levers. Four gears 84 are required for a loom having a four cell arrangement. It is characteristic of these gears that they have on one side a tooth gap corresponding to one tooth, and on the diametrically opposite side, a tooth gap of two teeth. When a roller of the pattern chain 80 raises a lever 38, 39, the toothed drum 82 meshes with gear 84 so that the same is turned through 180". Due to this turning movement, lever 85 is moved downward, and actuates through a linkage, not shown, the movement of the drop box.

In the electrical diagram (FIG. 5), the switch box 49 of the photoelectronic weft feeler 23 energizes the relay 50 whose contacts are in the circuit of the winding of a contactor relay 51 which is connected to the transformer 61. Since the photoelectronic device produces a short current impulse, a self-holding of the contactor 51 is effected by a switch 47 operated by a cam 46 on the crank shaft. The contactor relay 51 closes through switch 15, according to the position of the switch 34which is actuated by column 4 of the pattern chain, see FIG. 6 either the circuit to the electromagnet 18 or the circuit to the electromagnet 19, so that a shuttle will drop out of the magazine. This shuttle operates switch 15 to close the circuit to the electromagnet 35 which is controlled at the same time by switch 53 which is operated by the cam 52 on crank shaft 45.

Columns 1 to 3 of pattern 80 are operative to control the shuttle motions during normal operation of the loom, as long as there is no automatic shuttle-change. When a shuttle is empty, as determined by the sensing means 23, 29, the discharge cell must be placed at the shuttle race level instead of the respective cell of the drop box. When the empty shuttle is discharged, a new full shuttle is inserted into the uppermost cell, and the new shuttle is picked at the proper time when a thread corresponding to the thread of the exhausted shuttle is again required by the pattern. Thus electromagnets 35, 4t), and not the pattern chain 80 control the drop box during this function.

The actuation of the electromagnet 35 effects the first exceptional position of the drop-box 6, required for the discharge of the exhausted shuttle. In this position the fourth cell 6a of the drop box 6 is brought to the level of the shuttle race. As soon as the electromagnet 35 is energized it lifts through the rod 36 and the cross rod 37, the two upper change-initiator levers 38 and 39, whereafter the fourth cell is raised at the proper moment to the level of the shuttle race. The operation of the electromagnet 35 has, as far as the control of the mechanical shuttle-change motion is concerned, the same effect as if there were two rollers in columns 1 and 2 of the pattern chain 80, namely rising of the two upper change-initiator levers 38 and 39 in order to raise the fourth cell 6a of the dropbox 6 to the level of the shuttle race.

The contactor 54, also energized from transformer 61, will be energized if a shuttle is in the righthand top shuttlebox and switch 14 is closed, if also switch 55 controlled by column 6 of the pattern chain is closed, and if the cam 56 on the crank shaft 45 has also closed switch 57. Upon actuation of contactor 54, the circuit to the electromagnet 40 is closed, if at the same time switch 58 controlled by the cam 59 on the crank shaft 45, is closed.

The contactor 54 has the further task to control more accurately the time of energization of electromagnet 40.

Electromagnet 40 causes the second exceptional position of the drop box 6, a position that is required for the picking of the automatically changed full shuttle and at which the first cell 6b must be brought to the level of the shuttle race. As soon as the electromagnet is energized, it will operate through rod 41 and cross rod 42, the two lower initiator levers 43 and 44 whereafter at the proper moment the first cell 612 is lowered to the shuttle race level. This operation of electromagnet 40 corresponds, as far as the control of the mechanical shuttle-change motion is concerned, to the effect of two spacing bushings in columns 1 and 2 of the pattern chain 86. As best seen in FIG. 3, the raising of the lower change-initiator levers 43 and 44 for the mechanical shuttle-change motion will have the same effect as a lowering of the upper shuttle-change initiator levers 38 and 39.

A switch 60, controlled by column 5 of the pattern.

chain (FIG. 6), connects at the proper moment the photo-electronic device 49 to the voltage source.

As is apparent from the wiring diagram of FIG. 5, electromagnet 36 is energized as soon as a shuttle drops from the magazine closing switch 15, cam 52 on the crank shaft 45 having closed the switch 53. On the other hand, the electromagnet is energized, see FIG. 5, as soon as the cam 59 on the crank shaft has closed the switch 58 and both switches controlled by the pattern chain 80, and switch 14 controlled by the flap of the top box cell on the automatic side, are closed. The switches 55 and 15 close the circuit to the contactor 54, which closes, when energized, the circuit to the electromagnet 40 of the switch 58 is closed as well.

The pattern chain diagram of FIG. 6 shows how to program, in the present case, the pattern chain in order to obtain the required shuttle course by columns 1-4, and to produce the correct control of the automatic shuttle change by columns 5-6.

The shuttle-course diagram of FIG. 7 shows the sequence of picks of both shuttles, the different colors of the threads being indicated by one point and by two points on the shuttles, respectively. The arrows on the shuttle race way represent the direction of travel of the respective shuttle and the letter F designates sensing of the yarn contents in the shuttle. The letter W indicates that at the respective pick an automatic shuttle change is made, if previously the photoelectronic weft feeler has responded. In these cases the shuttle moves as shown by a broken line.

The circuit diagram of FIG. 8 differs only slightly from the circuit diagram of FIG. 5. The electromagnet 19 and the selector switch are omitted as in this case only shuttles with the same weft color or the same weft type are used. An additional contact pair is provided in the switch means and connected into the circuit of the electromagnet 35.

The pattern chain diagram of FIG. 9 is completely shown although it has only a repeat of four picks, three times repeated in a total of 12 picks so that the shuttle course can be followed with respect to the position of the drop boxes. In FIG. 10 three shuttles, although containing yarn of the same color or type are also marked in order to permit to follow the sensing and shuttle change operations.

The marking of the shuttle in the diagram FIG. 9 corresponds to the marking of the change-card diagram FIG. 6, and the marking of the shuttles in FIG. 10 corresponds to the marking of the shuttle course diagram FIG. 7.

If in FIG. 7 the yarn of the shuttle marked by one point has run out to a minimum thread reserve, the photoelectric sensing means, parts 23 and 49 in FIG. 5, will respond at the pick 3 when the pattern chain carries in the fifth column a roller which close switch 60, see FIG. 5, at the same time the relay 50 will shortly respond. The circuit to the relay coil of the contactor 51 is closed via the secondary coil of the transformer 61. Since at the pick 3, FIG. 7, the pattern chain 4, FIG. 6, is already operative, switch 34, FIG. 5, is shifted downward to close the lower contacts, and due to the response of contactor 51, electromagnet 19 is energized, whereby a new shuttle, also marked by one point, drops out of the magazine. The cam 46 on the crank shaft 45 actuates the switch 47, thus determining the inoperative period of the shuttle 51.

The shuttle dropped from the magazine has opened the upper contact pair of switch 15, whereby a further actuation of one of the two electromagnets 18 or 19 and the supply of a further shuttle from the magazine are prevented. The electromagnet 35 is energized as soon as switch 53 is actuated by the cam 52 on the crank shaft 45. Since the electromagnet 35 actuates the upper change-initiator levers 38, 39, FIGS. 3 and 4, of the columns 1 and 2, of the patern chain, FIGS. 6 and 9, two picks after the actuation of the electromagnet 35, the special discharge cell, which is the lowest cell of the box, is placed at the shuttle race level. At pick 1, FIG. 7, a shuttle traverse is effected as represented by the broken line. A shuttle change is indicated at W, and the sensing of an empty shuttle by F.

After pick 1, the shuttle selected in the magazine drops into the special feeding cell which in this case is the top cell of the right-hand shuttlebox. It now the new shuttle in the special feeding cell is to be picked, as in this example at pick 3, the column 6 of the respective pattern chain, FIG. 6, which initiated pick 3 is fitted with a roller which closes switch 55, FIG. 5. Since the switch 14, controlled by the flap. of the top cell of the right-hand shuttlebox, is already closed by the shuttle located in the respective cell, the circuit to cont-actor 54 is closed via the secondary coil of the transformer 52 and its self-holding time is determined by switch 57 controlled by the cam 56 on the crank shaft 45. Due to the response of the contactor 54, the electromagnet 40 is energized as soon as switch 58 is also closed by the cam 59 on the crank shaft 45.

As the electromagnet 40 acts on the lower change initiator levers 43, 44, FIGS. 3 and 4, which cooperate with the pattern chain columns 1 and 2, two picks after the response of electromagnet 40, the right-hand shuttlebox with its special feeding cell (top cell) is placed at the level of the shuttle race way of the slay. Consequently at pick 3, FIG. 7, the shuttle in the cell 1 is picked, not the shuttle in the cell 2 as would be the case according to the normal shuttle course. If the shuttle marked by two points in FIG. 7, is exhausted, all operations are effected accordingly. The sensing of the shuttle is done according to FIG. 7 at pick 4, and a shuttle marked by two points is fed from the magazine. As shown in FIG. 6, the pattern chain for pick 1 carries in column 4 a roller which closes switch 34, FIG. 5, so that the electromagnet 18 releases a shuttle.

As can be clearly seen from the shuttle-course diagram of FIG. 7, there is no weft thread crossing either at the change of a shuttle marked by one point or at the change a shuttle marked by two points.

The automatic operation is quite similar during weaving of a composite weft pattern with three shuttles. The sequence of operations takes place as explained with refer ence to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 and to the FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. A simplification takes place due to the use of one type of weft thread so that the terminal switch 34 and the magnet 19 in FIG. 5 become superfluous.

On the other hand, in the arrangement of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, provision is made against the change of a shuttle two picks after introduction of the respective shuttle, so that the change is made after three working cycles of the 100111 according to the shuttle-course diagram of FIG. 10.

9 The exchanged shuttle is not picked two picks after ejection of the empty shuttle as per FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, but but after further three working cycles of the loom.

To comply with the requirements of weaving more complex sequences of picks with several weft colors or kinds 'of wefts, further magnets with further relays and terminal switches for their control may be provided, the basic operation of which, however, does not differ from the operation as described above with reference to the drawings. In particular it might become necessary to provide several shuttle discharge cells and/ or several special shuttle feeding cells, and possibly also to provide at both loom sides automatic parts with shuttle magazines and shuttle boxes with special ejector and feeding cells in order to avoid a crossing of weft threads during complicated sequence of picks.

The embodiments of the invention described and illustrated are only some possibilities for obtaining the desider results which may be attained by modifications Without departing from the basic idea of the invention. For instance, it would be possible to effect, by means of several electromagnets, the initiation of only certain operations, completing the operation by mechanical means. Further, the control of the switches 34, 35 and 60 need not necessarily be made by the pattern chain since it would be possible to provide a contact mechanism driven from the crank shaft, if necessary by means of a reducing gear. The switches controlled by the crank shaft in the illustrated embodiment could be incorporated into such a contact mechanism.

We claim:

In a loom, in combination, drop box means on one side of the loom having a shuttle feeding cell and a shuttle discharge cell, said feeding cell including a flap; magazine means for full yarn-carrying shuttles; electromagnetic means for effecting feeding a single f-ull shuttle from said magazine means into said feeding cell; electromagnetic means for effecting discharge of an empty shuttle from said discharge cell; electric sensing means for sensing empty shuttles in said drop box; a circuit connecting said electric sensing means with said electromagnetic means for actuating the latter, said circuit including a switch operated by said flap to indicate that a shuttle is in said feeding cell; relay means and switch means in said circuit; pattern means for effecting actuation of selected switch means of said switch means; and cyclically operating cam means for actuating selected switch means of said switch means so as to determine the exact timing of the discharge of empty shuttles and the feeding of full shuttles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,054,171 9/ 1936 Turner 139-234 2,065,771 12/ 1936 Turner 139234 2,103,800 12/ 1937 Turner 139-234 2,981,294 4/1961 Smiley et a1. 139-239 FOREIGN PATENTS 719,363 4/ 1942 Germany.

288,690 11/1948 Switzerland.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner. 

